7 Off-Island NY Fests to Hit This Summer

Festivals and street fairs take over Long Island in the summer, but they aren’t the only ones worth checking out. Upstate New York is also buzzing with adventures once the weather gets warm. Hop in the car and drive a little longer to check out these seven New York festivals 2017 that make a road trip sound like a great idea.

For nine days, Rochester will host its annual music festival that started in 2002. More than 1500 artists from various genres are expected to perform this year—and that includes some big names like Sheryl Crow and Joss Stone. Park the car near downtown Rochester’s East End Cultural district and walk to any of the 19 venues participating. Some of the shows are even free! Click to go

Sterling Renaissance Festival, Sterling(July 1-Aug. 13)

Step back in time when Sterling, New York is transformed into a Renaissance styled theme park. Kick back and watch performances, chow down at the royal feast or take part in games like a pillow fight. The festival takes place Saturdays and Sundays from July to August from 10am-7pm.Click to go

Foodies, get ready. This massive two-day festival in the heart of Downtown Buffalo features more than 250 culinary local specialties like sponge candy caramel cannoli or beef and prosciutto tortellini in vodka sauce. And it gets better: none of the food is more than $5. The outdoor festival, which started back in 1984, is also known to attract a crowd of more than 400,000 people. Click to go

Take a break from the North Fork and taste wines from another popular region in New York. The Finger Lakes, which has more than 100 wineries, breweries and distilleries, specializes in white wines. Have a taste when the Finger Lakes Wine Festival swings back around in July. There’s also the opportunity to take a cooking class, join in on a toga party and camp in the area. Click to go

Hudson Valley Ribfest, New Paltz (Aug. 18-20)

For the 13th year, New Paltz is delighting meat lovers with its barbecue food event. There’s grub and drinks galore, music and a BBQ competition where dozens of teams partake in a cooking competition for a prize. New Paltz is also about a two-hour drive from Manhattan making it a perfect option for anyone who doesn’t want to travel too far. Click to go

Great New York State Fair, Syracuse (Aug. 23-Sept. 4)

The annual fair has been held at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse since the 1800s making it just as historic as it is fun. Known to attract an older crowd, it’s full of things to do with more than 375 acres of exhibits, tastings, rides, animals and musical acts. Click to go

Bid farewell to summer at the Adirondack Balloon Festival. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the volunteer-run festival that draws a crowd of more than 150,000. Book a ride on one of the hot air balloons and see the beauty of the Adirondacks from up above. Click to go